Wednesday, November 25

Creed Review

Two men enter the ring, only one leaves victorious. Both are
battered and bruised, physically and mentally. Boxing is a battle of skill and
will, some fights hurling a bombardment of punches while some are managed
methodically with well planned attacks, still regardless of how swift or
sluggish the fight may be, throwing a good punch is all about patience. “Creed”,
a continuation of the world created by the “Rocky” films, takes its time with
throwing its punches waiting for the best opportunities to mix well-composed
characters with a narrative structure that builds familiarly towards the crowd
pleasing final round, with creative punches landing successfully.

Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never had the opportunity to
meet his famous father, though it didn’t stop the son of Apollo Creed from
taking after his father’s fighting profession. Adonis is trying to live a life
without the help of his father’s name, giving up a good desk job for life
inside the ring. After being turned down by numerous trainers Adonis decides to
ask his father’s good friend to train him, legendary boxer Rocky Balboa.

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the
fight in the dog”. Take that sentiment and restructure it slightly and you’ll
have the foundation for nearly every “Rocky” film. Why is this appealing? Why
do audiences find satisfaction with this rehashed story? Well, it’s simple.
Rocky Balboa is a character that is easy to cheer for and underdog stories are
always fun to invest in. Plus, Rocky doesn’t always win, both in the ring and
in life, which gives the story an interesting element that keeps Rocky’s
journey interesting. Many of these features also apply to the film “Creed” as
well, almost as if the writers watched every “Rocky” movie, took all the best
parts, and composed a film that deals a new underdog story that is also a
loving homage for fans of the past films.

“Creed” is finely executed in the capable hands of director Ryan
Coogler who takes his time with the story and seldom loses focus on the
characters. Adonis is given a proper introduction, displaying a young man
living a troubled life without a father and trying to make a name on his own.
Adonis is given ample time to make an impact on screen before Rocky steps into
the movie, an acknowledgment to the talented Mr. Jordan who has wonderful
charisma and screen presence throughout the film. And Mr. Stallone, rugged and
aged, has no problem settling into the familiar role, doing a great job of
playing motivator and mentor to the up and coming fighter. Having a character
as iconic as Rocky Balboa in a boxing film could have easily hijacked this story
and turned the film into the next Rocky story, and for a moment it feels like
it is leaning in this direction. However, the film offers a nice split for the
two characters to shine together, giving Adonis primary focus but allowing for
the next chapter in the Rocky saga to easily play the supporting role. Both
characters hold their own against each other, the mix of Adonis’ youthful
“never say never” mentality and Rocky’s old school hardened charm works
exceptionally well with many of the familiar setups.

As with most boxing movies everything is leading up to the big
fight. Outmatched and inexperienced, Adonis must prove his worth against a
foreign opponent in unfriendly territory, sound familiar? Still, it’s an
entertaining and exciting finale but also a passing of the torch in some
regards. “Creed” is most definitely a worthy successor and a great counterpart
to the “Rocky” legacy.